Category: Technology

Posted on

Press Release: Pipe Spring LLC Announces Issuance of US Patent for Augmentation of Mechanical Properties of High-Pressure Pipe

For Immediate Release

Pipe Spring LLC Announces Issuance of US Patent for Augmentation of Mechanical Properties of High-Pressure Pipe

November 10th, 2020

Houston, Texas, USA

Pipe Spring LLC is pleased to announce the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued patent U.S. Patent No. 10830383 titled Augmentation of Mechanical Properties of High-Pressure Pipe.

“We are extremely gratified that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has validated our dedicated effort to innovate and advance the technology of pipeline operations. We launched an effort to improve the mechanical integrity of pipeline infrastructure which delivers so much of the world’s energy. The development goals of this product were to provide a technology to augment and repair pipelines while minimizing unscheduled releases and greenhouse gas emissions. We also wanted to provide greater utility and improved safety for both the public and pipeline stakeholders” stated Molly Laughlin Doran, the Owner of Pipe Spring LLC.

Laughlin Doran added, “This is one of the first significant technology advancements related to pipeline repairs and integrity enhancement of existing pipe in over three decades. This is inventor and Pipe Spring CEO Shawn Laughlin’s second patent related to pipelines and his first with Pipe Spring LLC. He persistently pushed the envelope. The technology provides the performance based reliable engineering test and analyses required by regulation. Regulated operators need only add the technology to their operating and maintenance language and then they are able to move forward with enhancing the integrity of the nation’s critically important pipelines.”

Laughlin Doran continued, “We expect a reasonably swift industry adoption of this technology.  It demonstratively improves safety, protects the environment, and reduces costs to pipeline operators.  Pipe Spring LLC believes that we have an important public service to perform to aggressively promote the adoption of this technology. “

Pipe Spring LLC is a manufacturer of engineered steel laminated fabrications for metal loss defects, pipe augmentation, and strain sensitive conditions on pipe. Pipe Spring™ patented technology involves wrapping the external surface of a pipe with two or more convolutions of a band material with the modulus of the band material matched to that of the pipeline section to create an augmented section of pipe.  More information is available at www.pipespring.net.

Media Relations Contact: Molly Laughlin Doran, Owner, [email protected]

PDF: Press Release

 

Posted on

Virtual Trainings and Cost Savings

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

During these uncertain times, it is crucial that the transportation networks that supply our critical industries (like the medical sector) with energy remain operational. This requires that repairs be made when necessary to our pipelines.

One of Pipe Spring LLC’s core values is creating products that install easily and eliminate human error during application. During the development process of our integrity enhancement products and repairs, every effort was made to reduce field variables. We have a product that is simple to install and can be repeated time and time again. The effort that was undertaken during development now allows us to easily transition to completely remote trainings during this COVID-19 pandemic. We are able to provide virtual support 24/7 to our customers and set up instruction for those who need to install Pipe Spring™ units that do not already have an installer, trainer, or subject matter expert manufacturer certification. For our United States clients, this will meet your OQ requirement when a manufacturer certification is needed. For our international clients, we can work with you to satisfy your training requirements as well. We are prepared to offer FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING to the industry to assist during these unprecedented times.

It is also important to note that an installation can be made easily with only two people. Under certain circumstances, a single individual could install a unit by him/herself if needed. Current recommendations to combat COVID-19 advise that people should be in groups of ten people or fewer. We are pleased to be able to meet this recommendation even in routine circumstances.

Additionally, our products are a fraction of the cost of other repair technologies on the market. In the coming months, as we recover from this pandemic, our products will remain the most economical option for our clients.

To set up a virtual training and discuss your repair needs during this difficult time contact us today! We are here to help our industry get through these tough times and make necessary repairs to our infrastructure while remaining as safe as possible.

Be well friends,

Molly Laughlin Doran, Owner

 

Posted on

Pipe Spring LLC Announces Successful Completion of Full Scale Testing

Image of ADV Test Report

Pipe Spring LLC is pleased to announce the successful test and evaluation of the Pipe SpringTM system completed by ADV Integrity in May 2019. The technical staff of ADV Integrity are highly experienced regarding the development, testing, and performance evaluation of non-metallic repairs. They have completed several hundred tests with similar configurations. The full report is available upon request via email at [email protected] or by contacting a Pipe Spring LLC representative.

“The results of this test successfully demonstrated that the Pipe SpringTM system can restore the structural integrity of a damaged pipe with a 75% wall loss corrosion defect. The Pipe SpringTM succeeded in restoring the damaged pipe past its theoretical failure pressure. The Pipe SpringTM system is not a true non‐metallic repair, but this test sample and procedure mirrors the pipe sample configuration for the ASME PCC‐2, Article 4.1, Appendix III, Short Term Spool Survival Test.”

Highlights of the program include:

  • A 77% wall loss defect with an 8-inch length and 6-inch width was restored to a capacity well above the potential operating range of the pipe. The SMYS of the pipe was 2470 psi. The MAOP (72% of SMYS) was 1779 psi. The defect successfully held until 3885 psi. This represents a pressure of 218% of the MAOP and 700 psi above the yield point of the unrepaired base pipe.Typical industry assessment methods of the defect include:
    • Theoretical contribution from the remaining thin ligament (.088 inch wall remaining) from ASME PCC-2 equation #12
      • At nominal X42 = 580 psi
      • At laboratory reported yield point of the steel (60.5 KSI) = 835 psi
      • At the apparent base pipe yield point (56.4 KSI) = 779 psi
    • ASME B31G (failure pressure)
      • At X 42 nominal= 1556 psi
      • At laboratory reported yield = 2242 psi
      • At apparent base pipe yield = 2090 psi
    • Modified ASME B31G (failure pressure)
      • At nominal X42 = 1355 psi
      • At laboratory reported yield = 1837 psi
      • At apparent yield of base pipe = 1730 psi
  • In addition to the standard defect geometry, a second Pipe Spring™ unit was installed on the pipe with no defect. This was done to develop data for evaluation of performance associated with strain dependent features and concerns.The highlights include:
    • Interlayer strain gauges indicate load sharing essentially immediately as the pipe experienced internal pressure (below 100 micro strain in the base pipe).
    • At MAOP, 1779 psi, the stain in the pipe under the Pipe Spring™ system was 5.5% below the stain in the unrepaired base pipe.
    • At SMYS, 2470 psi, the stain in the pipe under the Pipe Spring™ system was 6.5% below the strain in the base pipe.
    • At the actual yield of the unrepaired base pipe (3184 psi) the strain in the pipe under the Pipe Spring™ was reduced by 42.2 %.
    • At 10,000 microstrain of the base pipe (3445 psi, 140% of SMYS) the strain in the pipe under the Pipe Spring was reduced by 80.0%

This program involved significant instrumentation. The pipe specimen had a total of 18 bi-directional strain gauges for a total of 36 channels of data. For more information please view our summary documents:

Part I - Summary of ADV Test Program

Part II - Modulus - Summary of ADV Test Program